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    Saving Shawnie
    Saving Shawnie
    Saving Shawnie
    Ebook118 pages2 hours

    Saving Shawnie

    By Tressie Lockwood

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Shawnie flees Venice to return to her home town in Savannah, Georgia after she finds out her ex-boyfriend is a vampire. When Giovanni drains enough blood from Shawnie that she starts exhibiting symptoms of being a vampire--including sensitivity to sunlight and a craving for blood--Shawnie has no choice but to turn to her grandmother's Norse godlike neighbor Karik for help.  From the moment he sets eyes on Shawnie, Karik wants her, but first he must admit that he too is a vampire, and he must keep her safe from shadow demons as they race across the country for a cure before Shawnie becomes one of the undead.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTressie Lockwood
    Release dateDec 2, 2014
    ISBN9781502295910
    Saving Shawnie

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    Book preview

    Saving Shawnie - Tressie Lockwood

    Chapter One

    Shawnie stepped out onto the porch at her grandmother’s house and breathed in the fresh air and the heavy scent of violets. She’d been gone too long, but at long last she’d found her way back to Savannah. At least, that’s how her Nana put it. Found her way as if she had been lost. With the sun setting at the end of the street, a huge ball of yellow and orange, Shawnie hoisted herself up on the wrought iron railing and just enjoyed watching people coming and going. No matter where she had traveled in Europe, she’d done that. She’d watched people. Considering what their lives were like, what they were up to was fun, but right now distracting herself from her own life was of particular interest, as was the reason she’d come home.

    She had vowed not to tell Nana of her experiences over the last three months, but Nana seemed to know something was different about Shawnie. The old woman’s eyes had always had a way of boring into Shawnie’s soul. Tears pricked her eyes. Soul. Did she have one still?

    Since the waning sun hadn’t burned her to a crisp, she figured she wasn’t fully one of the undead, but she’d been on her way to it, she thought, after her time with Giovanni. What an idiot she was. What a complete fool not to realize that sweet-talking jerk was no good from the start.

    At least I’m home again, she told herself. And when I find some way to reverse this problem, I will be back to my old self.

    Tired from trying to balance herself on the railing, she slid to her feet and crossed to the swing Nana had a neighbor keep in excellent condition over the years. She dropped onto the cushioned seat and let herself drift back and forth. She closed her eyes, and the early spring breeze soothed her fears.

    After some time, it seemed like someone was watching her, and she opened her eyes to scan the area. The sun had fallen below the horizon, and the cobblestone street where Nana lived had grown quiet, the residents having gone off to their Friday night entertainment. At first she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary beyond the parked cars and lights in the windows of a few houses, and then a shadow shifted behind the four foot bush in front of the neighbor’s house on the opposite side of the street.

    Shawnie peered hard into the dim light, but could not make out what it was. Someone didn’t want to be seen, and she wasn’t going to sit here waiting to see what they were up to. She shoved to her feet and hurried to the front door only to find it locked. Panic arrested her. How could she have forgotten what Nana told her? If she allowed the door to shut without resetting that little doohickey Nana showed her, the lock would catch and she’d be stuck outside.

    She groaned, staring down at her bare feet with newly polished deep rose toenails. Not that she could see the polish in the dull illumination from the street lamps. Facing the road, she considered what to do. Nana had gone out earlier to a bingo game, and the key she’d given Shawnie was in her purse, in her bedroom. Idiot, she grumbled.

    Then she remembered Nana saying that same neighbor who took care of the porch swing had a key to the house just in case anything ever happened to her and he needed to get in. Shawnie checked the bush across the street. Yeah, the person was still there, she assumed watching—hopefully not her. Shaky, she stepped off the porch and ran on tiptoe toward the neighbor’s house. The strange thing was the moment she stepped off the porch, whoever it was began to move.

    Shawnie sensed it rather than heard. She picked up speed and ran full tilt the last few feet and dove for the neighbor’s property. Terrified, crying, and falling to her hands and knees every few steps, she made it to the door and banged like her life depended on it.

    Hello, she shouted, and cursed herself for forgetting what the old man’s name was. She dared to look over her shoulder, but the person wasn’t anywhere in sight. Yet she knew he was close, waiting. She slammed a fist into the door and put her back to it, pressing hard. Her heart thundered in her chest, the rushing blood making it hard to hear.

    When she thought any second she’d faint from fear, the door opened, and she fell backward into something solid. Shawnie put her head back to discover she lay on the chest of a very tall man, a man who was not the old geezer she had expected. His thick blond hair looked slept on, his blue eyes were hazy from sleep, and he needed a shave, but man did he look delicious.

    She wet her lips and tried to right herself, but had trouble. The neighbor obliged by resting strong hands at her waist and helping her to regain her footing. Shawnie didn’t want to move off his big, hard chest but let him stand her up straight anyway.

    When she stood there drinking him in, he asked, Was there something you needed? A reason you knocked loud enough to wake the dead?

    Embarrassment made her tongue-tied. Oh, I, uh... She squinted into the darkness around her and felt stupid for getting scared. Nana didn’t live in a bad area. In fact, everyone knew each other and all their business, and all of the residents were older homeowners who were stuck in the early twentieth century. There hadn’t been any significant crime around this part of Savannah for some time, so Shawnie couldn’t bring herself to tell this man, who looked like she’d woken him up from a good sleep, that she was scared of a suspicious character. I locked myself out and wondered if you could loan me the key to my grandmother’s place.

    He narrowed his eyes at her. Who is your grandmother?

    His suspicious tone of voice got her back up, but she tried to remember that she needed him. He could turn around and slam the door in her face. Camellia James. She hooked a thumb in the direction of Nana’s house. I’m Shawnie James. Has she told you about me? That I was coming?

    He just stared down at and then out into the night. A chill ran over Shawnie, and she darted up close to the man, curling herself into his side. With his broad shoulders and solid build, she couldn’t squeeze past him into the house, but if something came at them, she hoped it would grab the bigger target.

    Camellia mentioned a granddaughter several months ago, he said, surveying the dark street and ignoring the fact that she was glued to his side. Said she was immature and irresponsible, thought life was about partying and not settling down to make a respectable living.

    Shawnie’s back went up again. Who the hell do you think you are? You don’t know me to judge how I live.

    He glanced at her and then back at the street. I said Camellia said this. Not me. From what I’ve seen so far, she’s probably right. His pointed look lowered to her bare feet and then up to her too tight jeans and hot pink blouse unbuttoned enough to show off plenty of cleavage.

    She gasped and went to stand in front of him again, her hands on her hips. Yeah, take a good look, buddy. I don’t need your help. I can get in on my own. I’ve been in sticky situations before and got out of them all by myself.

    She spun on her heel and stomped to the edge of the porch. The man called out behind her, Do not leave my property if you want to live.

    Oh crap, he’s nuts, she thought. She hurried off his porch and down the walk. When she was on the street, she realized that Mr. Fine-But-Grumpy saw what she had earlier. The shadow came at her full tilt. She couldn’t make the guy out oddly enough considering the street lamps weren’t that dull. He zipped faster than anyone she’d ever seen, and Shawnie stood there frozen in fear, knowing this person or whatever it was meant to hurt her.

    The thing was steps away when the neighbor blocked her view with his body. All she heard was a growl of pain and anger, and then the foulest smell assaulted her nose. She staggered back with her hand covering the lower half of her face and ended up stumbling off the path into the grass. When she landed on her ass, she glanced up at the neighbor now facing her.

    A silver sword, glowing all around with bluish light was clasped in his hand. He scowled down at her with a look of anger in those sexy eyes. Shawnie tore up the grass beneath her fists and turned her head. I guess I owe you thanks for that, mister whoever you are.

    He squatted before her, resting muscled arms on his thighs. A flick of his wrist made the sword disappear, and Shawnie gasped. "What are you? Who are you?"

    Karik Channing, your grandmother’s neighbor. Now, do you want to tell me why a shadow demon was hunting you?

    Chapter Two

    Shawnie

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